De Profundis Stone

The only surviving De Profundis stone (derived from the Latin beginning of the 130th Psalm , de profundis , "from the depths") in Ireland is located south of Mullingar in County Westmeath .

The stone possibly marked the entrance to a cemetery, as was common in Ireland in the past. The name of the stone is derived from the local tradition that the procession with the coffin in the church funeral at a statio on this stone the 130th Psalm (Ps in Catholic counting 129; Ps 130.1  EU ) recited, with the words De profundis clamavi ad te Domine (“From the depths we call, Lord, to you”) begins.

The plate, shaped like a coffin, is made of limestone and has an engraved cross at the top. The 94 cm long plate measures 44 cm at its widest point, 22 cm at the narrowest and is 14 cm thick; originally it rose on a pedestal.

literature

• Jürgen E. Walkowitz: The megalithic syndrome. European cult sites of the Stone Age (= contributions to the prehistory and early history of Central Europe. Vol. 36). Beier & Beran, Langenweißbach 2003, ISBN 3-930036-70-3 .

Web links

• De-Profundis Stone - Description and picture (Engl.)
• Description and image (Engl.)

Coordinates: 53 ° 26 ′ 45.5 "  N , 7 ° 20 ′ 15.2"  W.